The Women (1939)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Clare Boothe Luce (play)
Anita Loos (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 September 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Female Of The Species . . . when the men aren't watching !

Plot:

Wealthy Mary Haines is unaware her husband is having an affair with shopgirl Crystal Allen. Sylvia Fowler...

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Dude Ranch | Gossip | Train | Marriage

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Norma Shearer	...	Mrs. Stephen Haines (Mary)
Joan Crawford	...	Crystal Allen
Rosalind Russell	...	Mrs. Howard Fowler (Sylvia)
Mary Boland	...	The Countess De Lave
Paulette Goddard	...	Miriam Aarons
Phyllis Povah	...	Mrs. Phelps Potter (Edith)
Joan Fontaine	...	Mrs. John Day (Peggy)
Virginia Weidler	...	Little Mary
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Morehead
Marjorie Main	...	Lucy
Virginia Grey	...	Pat (perfume counter clerk)
Ruth Hussey	...	Miss Watts (Stephen's secretary)
Muriel Hutchison	...	Jane (Mary's maid)
Hedda Hopper	...	Dolly Dupuyster (columnist)
Florence Nash	...	Nancy Blake

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Colour:

Black and White | Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

France:U | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Canada:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) (1939) | UK:U (re-rating) (2004) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #5546)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Though many people view Joan Crawford as the "bad girl" of the movie, Clare Boothe Luce, who wrote (as Clare Boothe) the play that the film was based on, sympathized most with Crystal Allen, Crawford's character.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Two years passes between Mary's divorce and her subsequent reconciliation with her husband, but little Mary, her daughter, doesn't seem to grow at all during that time.

Quotes:

Crystal Allen: [Answering phone] Hello? Oh hello Stephen...
[Surprised]
Crystal Allen: What? Well uh... Don't worry my sweet, Ofcourse I don't mind you breaking our engagement... Well that is I mind ofcourse but it's such good discipline for my selfishness about you...
Pat: Holy mackeral, what a line!
Crystal Allen: [to Pat] Shut up will ya!
[to Stephen]
Crystal Allen: I was going to surprise you tonight darling and cook dinner myself in my little apartment...
[gives a small laugh]
Crystal Allen: Why ofcourse I can cook!
Pat: She thinks because Lulu is dark, he wont be able to see her!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch (2005)

Soundtrack:

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

The Quintessential Film of the Late 30's

There were so many excellent films produced in 1939, but this is the best at showing (what Hollywood wanted to show) the current times. It showcases so many wonderful actresses all at once. Norma Shearer is just outstanding; this is my favorite movie of hers.

It also shows the values and thinking about women's roles at that time; but challenges them at the same time. As embodied by Mary's mother-in-law, there's a feeling of "boys will be boys" and the thought that even though her husband is playing around (for no good reason given - they seem to be a happy couple), Mary should let him get his "wild oats" out of his system, and look the other way. On the other hand, it shows a rich and varied view of all types of women, intelligent, catty, gentle, vicious, etc. They are not necessarily defined by the men in their lives - who are not shown. It actually shows the women ultimately deciding how their men will live - and with whom.

Overall, a wonderful, enjoyable movie.